Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Centre and States should work together to ensure that Covid-19 vaccination, expected to be a mammoth task, is smooth, systematic and sustained so that the vaccine can reach each and every Indian.
The Prime Minister, who chaired a high-level meeting of Chief Ministers of all States and Union Territories, urged them to give their suggestions for the roll-out of the vaccine in writing so that they can be considered while the strategy is prepared. He also asked the State governments to set up task forces at State and district levels to ensure speedy delivery of the vaccine, in addition to a state-level steering committee.
He said the government is keeping a close watch on the development of vaccines and is in contact with Indian developers and manufacturers, along with global regulators, governments of other countries, multilateral institutions and international companies.
It will be ensured that the vaccine administered to Indians will meet all necessary scientific criteria, he said. The States have already been consulted on drawing up priority lists of people who would receive the vaccine first. The requirements of additional cold chain storages have also been discussed with the States, Modi said.
The Prime Minister forewarned that there could be several myths and rumours spread around vaccines. Rumours about side effects of the vaccine may be spread. He urged the States to take up awareness creation campaigns with the help of civil society, NCC and NSS volunteers and the media.
Modi held a meeting with CMs of eight high focus States —Haryana, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and West Bengal — and reviewed Covid management status in these States.
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During the meeting, Modi also informed the States about various measures that the Centre has taken to create better healthcare infrastructure and the steps being taken up to establish 160 additional oxygen plants as well as supply of thousands of ventilators at an expense of ₹2,000 crore from the PMCARES fund.
He said efforts are on to make medical colleges and district hospitals in the country self-sufficient in terms of oxygen generation and supply.
People’s reaction
It is important to understand how the people have reacted to the pandemic, the Prime Minister said. First, there was fear, when people reacted in panic. In the second stage there were doubts about the virus, when several people tried to hide that they had been afflicted by it. The third stage was of acceptance, when people became more serious about the virus and displayed greater alertness. In the fourth stage, with increasing recovery rate, people have developed a false notion of security from the virus, thus leading to rise in instances of negligence.
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The Prime Minister emphasised that it is of utmost importance to increase awareness about the seriousness of the virus in this fourth stage. He said the trend of increase in spread of the pandemic in countries where its impact was earlier lessening, is being seen in some States as well, which necessitates greater alacrity and caution by the administration.
Modi said it is important to increase RT-PCR tests, ensure better monitoring of patients especially those in home isolation, better equip health centres at village and community level and keep running awareness campaigns for safety from the virus.
He said the target should be to bring down the fatality rate to below 1 per cent.
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